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Issues in Contemporary Family Therapy Practice

Module description

This module will provide information and exploration of the impact of social issues on family dynamics and relationships including the social, legal and political contexts of family therapy/ systemic practice. It will foreground practice in specific contexts including CAMHS, intellectual disabilities, adult mental health, eating disorder services and in private practice.

Module aims - intentions of the module

The aim of this module is to enable you to:

• Identify the contextual influences on contemporary family therapy/systemic practice.
• Identify and understand a range of emerging family forms.
• Be competent at working reflexively and respectfully with diverse families.

Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)

ILO: Module-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 1. Describe the contemporary social influences on practice
• 2. Describe the contemporary processes within family therapy/systemic practice
• 3. Describe ‘best practice’ with a range of families and within a range of settings

ILO: Discipline-specific skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 4. Understand, critically evaluate and apply family therapy/systemic practice to a range of families and contexts
• 5. Evaluate practice with an awareness of cultural diversity and ethical considerations

ILO: Personal and key skills

On successfully completing the module you will be able to...

• 6. Construct a coherent written and verbal description of practice including theory to practice links
• 7. Evaluate your own development both professionally and personally

Syllabus plan

Whilst the module’s precise content may vary from year to year, an example of an overall structure is as follows.

Learning will be didactic, experiential and discussion-based. Indicative topics include:

• Social changes and family life
• Diversity in family life
• Practice in specific contexts including adult mental health, private practice, eating disorders, conduct disorders, self harm
• Integrative practice
• Common themes in practice such as trauma, illness, forgiveness

Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)

Details of learning activities and teaching methods

Formative assessment

Summative assessment (% of credit)

Details of summative assessment

Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)

Re-assessment notes

Re-assessment will be the same as the original assessment. Where you have been referred/deferred for any form of assessment detailed above you will have the opportunity to retake within four weeks from the date that feedback was provided.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of deferral, your re-assessment will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment and the overall module mark will not be capped.

If you pass re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), the overall module mark will be capped at 50%.

If you fail re-assessments taken as a result of referral (i.e. following initial failure in the assessment), you will be failed in the module and as a consequence you will be failed in the programme and your registration as a student of the University will be terminated.

Indicative learning resources - Basic reading

Specific reading will be distributed prior to each teaching day.

Core reading:

• Dallos, R. and Draper, R. (2010) An introduction to family therapy and systemic practice. Buckingham: OUP.
• Day, R. (2010) Introduction to family processes. New York: Routledge.
• Rivett, M. and Street, E. (2009) Family therapy: 100 key ideas and techniques. London: Routledge.
• Rivett, M and Street, E. (2003) Family therapy in focus. London: Sage.
• Smith-Acuna, S. (2011) Systemic theory in action. New Jersey: Wiley and Sons.

Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources

• ELE – http://vle.exeter.ac.uk/course/view.php?id=6019 (all resources will be made available on ELE, including additional material covered in the tutorials, the required readings, information about assessment and additional material (e.g., videos))

Key words search

Family therapy, family therapy competencies, integrative family therapy practice